


But I Must Be Leaving

by scar-and-boomerang (Y_Woo)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternative Perspective, Angst, Ficlet, Gen, Gyatso centric, Oneshot, Pre-Canon, student teacher bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 20:29:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21042320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Y_Woo/pseuds/scar-and-boomerang
Summary: Monk Gyatso's reaction to Aang leaving, a ficlet exploring the bond between Gyatso and Aang based on the flashback scenes from the S1 episode The Storm.





	But I Must Be Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> yes, I took this out of my daemons ATLA AU and edited all the daemon stuff out to post as a regular ATLA fic because it had the potential and I wanted to share.
> 
> I do not own ATLA or any of its characters, some dialogue are taken words for word from the script, which I do not own either. Title taken from the poem 'O What Is That Sound' by W.H. Auden, an absolutely heartbreaking poem that I love.

“Aang needs to have freedom and fun. He needs to grow up as a normal boy.” monk Gyatso said amicably enough, though behind his warm and peaceful voice laid an undercurrent of fierce protection he had always managed to conjure up for his Aang.

“You cannot keep protecting him from his destiny.” The other monks scolded sternly, all chiming in with a hint of accusation in their voice. "I know you mean well, but you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment.”

Gyatso sighed, sensing a lost cause against the stubborn decision of the others. _Couldn’t they see,_ he wondered, t_hat training and weaponising the boy who had no choice in being the Avatar to engage in the affairs of the world was betraying their most sacred Air Nomad philosophy? More importantly, they were betraying Aang? One of their own to whom they were supposed to teach the way of peace?_

“All I want is what is best for him.” He protested. Even he knew it was a weak final stand of a desperate mentor.

“But what we need is what's best for the world. You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training.” 

Later, he would wait until the rest of the temple had been asleep before making his way to Aang’s chambers he’d been moved to when word got out about his identity and the other kids in the communal dorm got too aware of their differences, to the subtle encouragement of the elder monks at the temple. He would pad into the room, knowing the young Avatar too well to expect him to be asleep, not making a sound as he drew upon airbending to push the door open, assurance ready on his lips.

“Aang, I'm not going to let them take you away from me.” He promised before the bed even came into view, relieved he didn’t hear crying. That relief, however, soon turned into dread when he realised that _he hadn’t heard anything at all._ “Aang?” He tried again.

All that had been left for him was a scroll, a hastily scrawled out message reading _“Thank you, Gyatso, you were the best master I could have asked for and you taught me everything I know. Don’t worry - Appa will take good care of me. (I’m sorry I let you down).”_ In the handwriting of a pupil who had never quite completed his calligraphy training.

He told himself that Aang just needed a little time to himself, that eventually he would come back to him, and he could finish his trainings - _he’d fight the monks if he had to, break every oath he had took and every philosophy he had read as a pacifist Air Nomad, just for the right to finish Aang’s training himself_ \- and have the privilege of watching him grow into the shoes of a respectable Avatar.

But days had past and no words of the young airbender has reached any of the other temples, and he did not make it back to theirs, either. Gyatso began to regret not having gone to stop him earlier. What had he to hide, waiting until everyone was asleep? He berated himself for his hesitation, for his delay, and wondered if he would ever see his pupil again.

When the Fire Nation came a month later, however, he thanked all the spirits he could name with his dying breath that Aang wasn’t here. Not for the world, not for the Avatar, but for Aang, for his little airbender boy with his bright eyes and toothy smile.

He never did see his Aang again.


End file.
